This invention relates to a transmission for transmitting drive from a motor to a drive sprocket wheel for driving the drive chain of a mineral mining plough which is movable along a scraper-chain conveyor.
A scraper-chain conveyor is constituted by a plurality of channel sections, which are joined together end-to-end, and a scraper assembly which is circulated round the channel sections. At each end, the conveyor has a drive station having a drive frame, which contains a sprocket drum for driving or reversing the scraper assembly, and an intermediate channel section for connecting the drive frame to the adjacent conveyor channel section. When a plough is used for winning mineral material, the plough is driven, via an endless drive chain, by means of a sprocket wheel positioned laterally of the drive frame.
It is known for the plough drive sprocket wheel to be housed in a casing (a so-called plough box) which is attached to the drive frame. In this case, the plough transmission housing is flanged to the side of the plough box. The disadvantage of this type of arrangement is that it requires a separate member (the plough box) to house the sprocket wheel, and this leads to additional expense, as well as a complicated assembly process. An arrangement of this type is described in DE-Gbm 72 23542.
In another known arrangement, this disadvantage is overcome by dispensing with the plough box. In this case, the housing of the plough transmission is provided with integral connector flanges which are bolted directly onto the adjacent side plate of the drive frame. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that the entire reaction forces are absorbed by the connector flanges and their bolts, which leads to a considerable (and undesirable) stressing of these connections and also of the transmission housing. An arrangement of this type is described in DE-Gbm No. 66 00002.